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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29769258">Keep The Light On</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crowsofmurder/pseuds/crowsofmurder'>crowsofmurder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bobby/Ray/Rose (how did this happen) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>3 Things Plus 1, 4 Things, Alex Mercer Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Bobby Wilson Needs A Hug, Bobby | Trevor Wilson-centric, Gen, No beta we die like Sunset Curve, Other, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pre-Canon, Protective Bobby | Trevor Wilson, Reggie Peters Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Trans Bobby Wilson (Julie and The Phantoms)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:28:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,887</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29769258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crowsofmurder/pseuds/crowsofmurder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"No matter what happens.” </em>
  <br/>
  <em>“I’ll be here for you.”</em>
  <br/>
  <em>“I promise.” </em>
  <br/>
  <em>“We’ll keep the light on for you as long as you need it.”</em>
</p>
<p>---<br/>Three times Bobby kept the light on for someone, and one time someone kept the lights on for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bobby | Trevor Wilson &amp; Alex Mercer &amp; Luke Patterson &amp; Reggie Peters, Bobby | Trevor Wilson/Ray Molina/Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bobby/Ray/Rose (how did this happen) [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189544</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Keep The Light On</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title and idea for this fic all came from Leave A Light On by Tom Walker. Other than that, I have no idea where this came from. </p>
<p>Hope you all like it and come yell on tumblr @ace-bobby-wilson.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In hindsight, Bobby should’ve known that Luke was going to be the first one to break him. Alex was still avoiding the conversation with his parents and Reggie was still trying to keep them out of his home life. But Luke has been fighting with his mom since the four of them came together as friends and it had only continued over the years. </p>
<p>Ever since they started getting serious about the band and playing actual gigs, the fighting between Luke and his mom had steadily gotten worse. It had even started to reach the point where Luke would try and hold band practice as late as he could just to avoid going home. If it wasn’t for Alex and Reggie needing to be home before it got too late, Bobby was convinced practice would go under the sun came up. </p>
<p>---<br/>
Alex and Reggie had already left and Bobby watched Luke from his bedroom window as the singer dragged his feet down the sidewalk in the direction of his house. Something finally snapped in his chest. He grabbed his keys from his desk and bolted from his room, taking two steps at a time as he made his way down the stairs, and headed out the front door. He didn’t have to run far as Luke was still dragging his heels as he walked. </p>
<p>“Hey, Luke!” </p>
<p>The singer stopped and turned, confusion clear on his face. Bobby chuckled softly but shook his thoughts clear. He reached out for Luke’s hand and set his keys in his palm. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll leave a light on and you can crash with me until things cool down with your mom.” He could see a shine in Luke’s eyes that he purposely ignored and smiled. “No questions asked, dude. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” </p>
<p>Luke yanked him into a hug and Bobby made a point of not pulling away until Luke did. “Thanks, Bobbers.” </p>
<p>Bobby returned home after Luke said he was going to try and make it through the night but he kept the living room light on just like he promised and the following night, he could hear the front door opening. They fell asleep in Bobby’s bed, both already knowing this was going to happen again. And they were right. </p>
<p>Luke showing up in the night quickly became the new norm and a couple of months later, he showed up with his guitar and a backpack and tears in his eyes that Bobby couldn’t ignore. The two boys were back in Bobby’s bed, the dim glow of old fairy lights casting dark shadows over them. </p>
<p>“Thank you, Bobby.”</p>
<p>Luke’s broken voice cut through the silence and Bobby snapped again. He rolled onto his side and fill the space that was between them, pressing his chest against Luke’s back. There was a dark voice in his head, taunting him with comments of his chest and how Luke could definitely feel the difference but he tried not to focus on them. This was far from the first time they cuddled and Luke had known his secret for years. Everything was fine. </p>
<p>“<em>No matter what happens,</em>” Bobby whispered against the other boy’s shoulder as he wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him close. “You will always have a home here, Luke.” And there they laid, both pretending that one of them wasn’t crying until they fell asleep. </p>
<p>---<br/>
Shortly after Luke ran away, it was Reggie who fell onto Bobby’s radar. </p>
<p>The bassist had been not so subtlety trying to pull away from the band and none of them were having it. Luke suddenly had new songs that Reggie just had to help him work on because the lyrics were perfect for his voice, Alex made sure to pull Reggie into the hugs he loved so much, and Bobby… </p>
<p>Bobby continued to watch. He was waiting for the signs, for the moment that he was needed. And when Reggie insisted on walking home one night instead of Alex dropping him off, Bobby knew it was time. So after Luke stepped into the shower, Bobby slipped out of the studio and headed up towards the house, where he found Reggie sitting on the steps. He dropped down next to him, thinking over his words. Reggie had always tried to keep his friends away from his home life and did his best to avoid talking about it. Bobby could understand that. He never talked about his parents to anyone but Alex and that was only because the blonde had actually known him back then. </p>
<p>“Reggie, please. We’ve noticed you’ve been trying to pull away from us. You know you can come to us when things get bad. Whether you want to talk or just sit in silence, <em>I’ll be here for you.</em>”</p>
<p>Reggie shifted closer and rested his forehead against Bobby’s shoulder, his body trembling ever so slightly. “I just don’t know what to do.” He whispered softly. “I’m so tired and I want to just be done with them. But I don’t know what to do…”</p>
<p>Bobby wrapped his arm around his friend, pulling him close. He placed a soft kiss on his head before speaking. “The studio has been kept unlocked since Luke moved in.” He replied in the same whispering tone. “I’ll keep the light on for you.”</p>
<p>A choked sob left Reggie as he nodded quickly. “Okay.” They sat there together until Reggie was done crying. He pulled away and flashed Bobby a smile. “I need to grab some things but I’ll be quick.” </p>
<p>“We’ll wait for you.”</p>
<p>Bobby headed back to the studio as Reggie left to grab the rest of his things from his house. Luke had already finished his shower and set up the pullout couch. He looked up when Bobby walked back inside, tilting his head when the other flicked on the light and left the door open just a bit. Luke watched as Bobby grabbed the shirt Luke had left out for him, turning so he was facing away from the singer so he could shrug off his own shirt and the binder underneath, before pulling on the Green Day shirt. He turned and dropped down next to Luke. “Everything okay?”</p>
<p>“Reggie’s grabbing some stuff from his house then he’s coming back here.” </p>
<p>Half an hour passed before the muffled sounds of footsteps pulled the pair out of their own little world. Reggie nudged the studio door open more, poking his head in to look at the two. “Still okay if I crash with you two?”</p>
<p>“Peters, get your ass in here and come lay down.” </p>
<p>Shutting the door behind him, Reggie dropped the trash bag he had packed his things into off to the side, kicking his shoes off and tugging off his jeans before laying down between the other two boys. They immediately wrapped their arms around him. </p>
<p>---<br/>
Alex’s breaking point had been a long time coming. He had known his relationship with his parents existed only on borrowed time since he first realized he was gay, and now that time had run out. </p>
<p>He had been on the verge of a panic attack since he sat down for dinner. He had decided that today was the day he told them. Who knows, maybe he was completely wrong about them and they wouldn’t care that he was gay. That had only been wishful thinking. </p>
<p>His father screamed and yelled at him but his mother’s soft-spoken disappointment was worse. Her quiet pleads of <em>‘this isn’t you, Alex’</em> just filled him with anger. Because it was him! They just never really known him to realize that. That’s what drove him to leave the table. He wasn’t going to sit there and listen to them speak nothing but hatred after seventeenth years of claiming to be loving Christians. With shaking hands, Alex dialed the familiar number and waited. When he heard the other pick up, the dam broke. Tears that had been brimming in his eyes finally fell as he tried to find his breath. “I-Is the light still one?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’m on my way.”</em>
</p>
<p>There wasn’t a click of the line ending. Instead, two other voices met his ears. Luke and Reggie took turns speaking softly to Alex as he crumbled to the floor, pressing his back against the wall trying to calm himself. He could still hear his parents down the stairs in the dining room but did his best to only focus on Luke and Reggie. They seemed perfectly happy to ignore his existence as well. </p>
<p>The front door slammed open and Bobby stormed into the Mercer house, making a beeline for the stairs. </p>
<p>Dropping in front of Alex, he carefully gathered his best friend in his arms while taking the phone away from him. “I got him. We’re heading home.”</p>
<p>Home.</p>
<p>Alex sniffled and nodded weakly, pressing his face into Bobby’s neck. “My things-.” He started to talk only to be hushed. “Don’t worry about it, Lex. We’ll come back later. Let’s just get you out of here. I got you.” They stumbled out of the house, Bobby flipping his parents off as they passed the dining room to the door. It took a bit of work to get Alex into the car but they managed and Bobby held his hand the entire drive. </p>
<p>Getting back to the studio, Bobby led Alex back to the studio where Luke and Reggie were waiting for them. The four boys piled onto the mattress once again, Bobby holding Alex as he dozed. </p>
<p>“Please… don’t leave.”</p>
<p>It broke their hearts to see Alex in such a state. Bobby kissed his forehead gently. “We got you and we’re not going anywhere, Alex. <em>I promise.</em>”</p>
<p>----<br/>
Bobby woke with a scream, tears streaming down his cheeks as shot up from the couch he was sleeping on. It had to be late, everything was so dark. He barely registered the sound of a door opened and footsteps coming from the hall when the light flickered on. </p>
<p>“Bobby!” </p>
<p>Soft hands wrapped around his, prying them open so he would stop digging his nails into his palms. He blinked, and all he saw was Rose’s face twisted in worry. Glancing to the side, Ray was standing next to her, the same worried look on his face. </p>
<p>Right. </p>
<p>It’s been three months. He’s yet to go back to that house, to the studio. He looked down at the blanket Rose made him take after he insisted on sleeping on the couch. Bobby’s bottom lip trembled as the tears fell faster. </p>
<p>A soft murmur of English and Spanish met his ears as Rose gathered him in her arms. At some point, Ray joined the hug and together they pulled Bobby up from the couch and led him down the hall to their room. He didn’t fight it. </p>
<p>It wasn’t until the three of them laid down did he realize how dark it was. He shook his head. “T-The light.”</p>
<p>“I got it, <em>querido.</em>” Ray reached over and clicked on the lamp, warm light flooding the dark room before laying back down behind Bobby. “<em>We’ll keep the light on for you as long as you need it.</em>” Bobby burying his face into Rose’s neck, his tears slowing down as their presence slowly lulled him back to sleep.</p>
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